Linzin diaries!
by jalpari
Summary: This is an ongoing series of one shots about linzin's life after the end of LoK. It picks off from where my previous series ended. Unlike the previous series where I focussed almost all my imagination on Linzin, I am bringing in other ATLA and LOK characters in this series!
1. Bittersweet

Bittersweet

By jalpari

* * *

A/N -

This one shot takes place at the end of my 12-part series after Linzin finally happen! One of the comments in my previous posts suggested I write an epilogue for the series revolving around the reactions of the kids and others. In a way this ended up being a sorta kinda epilogue albeit a 'bittersweet' one!

Tenzin and Lin are finally in a good place but soon, a new challenge comes their way. Tenzin, Lin, Kya, Bumi, Pema and the children must face this together, as a family.

Thanks for the continued support and I hope more and more of you reach out with suggestions, feedback, comments, and words of encouragement.

* * *

"Lin!"

She turned around only to be engulfed in a warm embrace. Kya hugged her tight and didn't let go for several minutes.

"I'm _so _glad you're here...that you're back."

Lin felt her face heat up.

"I am too, Kya", she confessed returning the loving hug. "Is Katara here too?"

"She...should be here in a few days."

A sudden cloud passed over Kya's face.

"What's the matter? Is everything alright?"

Kya paused but then shook her head.

"No, no it's nothing. Let's focus on getting you settled in. Just like old times!"

Kya stepped into the room towards the boxes and stopped.

"_Exactly_ like old times by the looks of it. You've barely unpacked!"

She began opening them one at a time. Lin stood at the door, and looked at her with a grin. Hurried footsteps echoed in the corridor and Tenzin emerged from the corner.

"There you are!"

He hugged her from behind, pulling her in close, burying his face in her neck, noticing Kya a second too late.

"Kya...uh...I didn't know you…" He muttered taking a step back.

Kya stood up eyes wide open and walked towards them, hands on her hips, a big smirk on her face.

"You didn't mention _this_ when you told me Lin was moving to the island..._temporarily._"

"Kya please, you're misunderstanding…"

"Oh drop it Tenzin! You never very good at lying."

He heard Lin chuckle and frowned.

"Will you guys help me unpack or what?"

_Classic Lin. _They knew this maneuver.

* * *

It had only been a week since she had settled in, when they got the news. Katara was unwell. Finally, Kya had told them what had been worrying her. She had promised Katara she would not say a word until Katara said it was okay to.

They prepared to leave for the south pole, unsure of what they would find. Lin hadn't allowed herself to think of what may happen, she wasn't prepared for the worst. They decided to go on Oogi, it was the quickest way.

The entire journey, Lin had sat in silence, distraught and desolate. Tenzin had his arms around her every time Kya took the reins. He held her close, kissing her temple, whispering soothing words. He knew it was harder on Lin. Ever since her visit to the south pole when she lost her bending, Lin had been making up for lost time - writing letters, talking over the radio, making short visits whenever possible. And he had seen the difference it made.

When they reached, Lin had jumped off Oogi even before he had completely landed. She rushed into the house, straight to Katara's room. Katara was asleep. Lin gasped as she saw how much older, smaller, and weaker she looked in her sleep. Her heart ached.

She sat by the bed, gently holding her hand and kissing it.

* * *

"Linny?"

A soft feeble voice woke Lin. She sat up with a sigh, adjusting her eyes to dark. Dusk had crept in while she slept by Katara's bed. She looked at her eagerly.

"Linny...is that you?"

Lin smiled and moved closer to her head, relieved.

"Yes, Katara. I'm right here."

"Good...where's everyone else?"

"I'll go get them", she got up to leave but whispered, "We came as soon as we heard."

Katara smiled.

"We, huh? I'm glad."

Lin rolled her eyes and stepped away. She went to the kitchen where Kya and Tenzin were cooking in silence.

"She's awake", Lin said in a tired voice leaning against the doorway.

Their ears perked up and they rushed towards her. She nodded her head in the direction of Katara's room, gesturing them to carry on.

Just before leaving, Tenzin held her by her shoulders.

"Are you alright? You look exhausted."

"I'm fine", she waved her hand in the air nonchalantly. "Go, go see her." She pushed him lightly with a weak smile.

* * *

A flurry of muffled sounds woke Lin out of her disturbed slumber. She sat up rubbing her eyes and noticed that Tenzin was nowhere around. Freshening up, she stepped out following the voices while wrapping her robe around her.

As she drew near the living room, she recognized the voices and paused. It was Bumi, Pema, and the kids. She hesitated for a second. It would be the first time she was going to see Pema since she left for Ba Sing Se. Pema knew Lin had moved to the temple _temporarily_, but she didn't know if Tenzin had told her about _them._

Breathing in, she took a step forward and entered the room.

"Lin!" Bumi pounced on her and squeezed her with a tight hug.

She had to push him off, as she struggled to breathe.

"Bumi...are you trying to kill me!?"

She let out a small smile tapping his shoulder.

"Aunt Lin!"

Jinora stepped forward with a gleam in her eyes. Lin could see the hesitation on her face. She understood her hesitation given Pema's presence. To spare her the discomfort, Lin held back a hug, and instead placed her hand on Jinora's cheek.

"Hey there, kid."

She walked over to where the rest were seated and decided to sit beside Kya.

"Hello, Pema", she nodded towards the woman as she handled Rohan.

"Lin...nice to see you." Pema gave her a warm smile. Lin thought she saw a wariness in her eyes or maybe it was nothing. She pushed the worries out of her mind. That was not important.

"Kya, how's Katara doing? Any improvements?"

"No, Lin", she sighed. "But she isn't worse. So that's something."

"What can I do to help?"

Lin froze as both she and Pema uttered the same words simultaneously. There was silence in the room, no one knew what to say or do.

"Yeah Aunty Kya, what can _we_ do to help?"

Lin looked at Jinora gratefully. _Oh, how she had grown to love this girl._

* * *

"There you are!"

Tenzin walked over to Lin, who had sought refuge on the other side of the island standing at the cliff looking out at the vast blue around them.

"Yeah, I just need to get away for awhile."

Tenzin nodded in understanding, wrapping his arms around her.

"It's getting cold. Why don't you come inside?"

"Is Katara up?"

'Kya is still in there, the healing session isn't done yet."

Lin leaned back into his chest.

"How are you holding up?"

Lin turned and hid her face in his chest, breathing out heavily.

"I...I don't know...I wish there was something I can…", she began sobbing unable to control her emotions any more.

Tenzin tightened his embrace, pulling her in closer, resting his chin on her head. They swayed gently in the wind, staying in the invisible bubble that surrounded them, protecting them from the troubles for just a brief moment.

"Alright", Lin pulled away. "Let's go in."

As she turned to leave, Tenzin grabbed her wrist and pulled her back. He brought her closer by her waist and sealed his lips over hers.

"I love you."

Lin smiled as she turned dragging him along by his arm.

"I love you too, airhead."

* * *

Lin stepped into the kitchen, to fetch some tea for herself and Katara. She realized a minute too late that there was someone else there.

"Oh, hey Pema."

"Oh...hi Lin. Do you need something?"

Lin stepped towards the counter, looking away.

"Uh...no. Just grabbing some tea."

Silence followed as Pema continued washing the dishes. Lin kept some water to boil and leaned against the counter, waiting.

"Um...Lin?"

Pema's voice was unsure and almost meek. Lin began feeling a dread spread across her.

"Yeah?"

"How've...how've you been?"

She felt Pema inhale and she shut the tap and turned to face her.

"I heard about your apartment."

"Oh...yeah, it's...I've been staying at the island." She blurted out.

Lin shuffled uncomfortably but managed a smile.

"Yes, I heard. That's good."

Pema looked up at Lin. There was something different about her, she had noticed the moment she stepped into the living room. In fact, she had seen the changes in Lin over the last few years. Initially, she had had her suspicions and couldn't help but wonder if something had happened between Tenzin and Lin. But over the course of time, it was obvious that her doubts were unfounded. Somewhere in her heart, though, she knew that even though they had just reconnected as friends, there was love in there that had never left.

When she had learnt of Lin's move to the temple, she had felt a tug on her heart. Much to her surprise, Jinora had understood. No words were said but it was like Jinora knew. She would give her updates from the city, carefully worded and kind enough to ease their impact. She would gently slip in tidbits of her growing interactions with Lin. In a way, Pema had come to rely on Jinora's understanding and support. As she watched Lin today, she realized that the whole time, Jinora had been preparing Pema for this day. The day she realized Lin was back in Tenzin's life.

"Pema", Lin interrupted her thoughts. "I'm...I wanted to tell you…"

"I know, Lin. I...it's alright, I'm fine."

This time, her smile seemed genuine and free of pain. Lin relaxed her shoulders and smiled back.

"Thank you. For understanding."

The whistle of the boiling kettle made them both jump. They giggled at themselves as Lin prepared the tray and Pema returned to the dishes.

* * *

"Linny...how have you been?"

"I'm fine Katara", Lin paused and then glanced down at the woman. "Why do you ask?"

"You look different. Happier. Lighter."

Lin blushed. "I am."

"So it's true then." Katara smirked.

Lin felt flustered but Katara only laughed and touched her hand.

"I know Linny. And I am _so_ happy!"

Katara rubbed her thumb gently over the back of Lin's hand.

"I can finally be at peace. I feel content. Seeing _all_ my children in balance and living in harmony."

Something in her voice stilled Lin's growing smile.

"Katara…"

"I'm not done, Lin. There is something I should have said a long time back, when you and Tenzin went your separate ways. I...I wanted to apologize..."

"Katara! There is no need...Tenzin and I grew apart…"

"I don't mean that my dear. I wanted to apologize for how isolated you became after that. With Toph gone, and your best friend gone, I should have been there for you. More than I was, at least. You've always been so strong, Linny. I guess I took that for granted."

Tears filled Lin's eyes as she leaned forward to hug Katara.

"There is no need to apologize for that. I know how much you love me. You've been more of a mother to me than…"

Lin choked on her words just as she heard the door open. It was Tenzin.

"Lin…"

He paused as he saw the woman he loved sobbing helplessly like a little girl as she hugged the feeble old woman on the bed. He walked up and sat by her side, gently kissing her forehead and straightening her up. Lin fell against his chest struggling to hold her sobs back.

"Mother...what did you say to upset my Lin!" Tenzin said in a mock stern voice.

Katara let out a gentle laugh and smacked his arm. Tenzin held his mother's hand and looked at her intently. Slowly, he heard her whisper something like a prayer.

"At least _now_ she has someone to make her feel better, my son."

* * *

They stood hand in hand. Tenzin held on to Lin's hand tightly. Jinora, on his other side, entwined her arm with his and leaned against him. Pema stood next to her, cradling baby Rohan with one hand, and the other one resting on Jinora's back. Iki and Meelo stood beside their mother, clutching her robes. Kya held Bumi's hand as she wrapped her other arm around Lin. There they stood, in one long chain, their hearts bound together forever by the mysterious forces of the cosmos.

They were a wall of resilience and strength in the face of ever changing circumstances. They were a wave of water that would come crashing down on anyone that threatened them. They were a family, forged by love and pain. They stood there, in silence, together in their heartbreak, and watched the sun lower itself in sorrow, shining a blanket of red, orange, and yellow over the woman that lay before them, as if bidding her farewell.

Katara's words had echoed in Lin's mind the entire night.

"_At least now she has someone to make her feel better, my son." _

She had woken up as a sudden panic tugged at her heart.

"Tenzin…", she whispered. "Wake up. I think something is wrong."

"What…" A sleepy Tenzin mumbled.

"I don't know why, but I feel weird. Like something bad is happening."

They hurried to Katara's room, to find the door open. They stepped in cautiously only to find Kya, seated by her mother, hiding her face in both her hands. Her shoulders shook gently, and they both knew. It was over.

Her final wishes had come true. All her children had found balance and were living in harmony.

Katara had passed, peacefully in her sleep.


	2. Papa don't preach

Papa don't preach

By jalpari

* * *

A/N:

Tenzin is livid at Kai and Jinora and it's up to Lin to step in and make peace. Linzin and Kainora fluff.

This one shot bounces between the present day when Tenzin and Lin are finally together and she has moved to air temple island permanently, the period between seasons 3 and 4 when Tenzin and Pema are separating and Lin and Jinora develop a bond of their own, and a major throwback to Tenzin's and Lin's childhood.

Thanks for the continued support and I hope more and more of you reach out with suggestions, feedback, and words of encouragement.

* * *

"_Jinora_!"

Tenzin's voice boomed across the hall. Jinora and Kai jumped in the corridor, pulling apart in a fluster.

"What in the name…"

Jinora's face heated up as she turned to see her father, storming towards them. She saw Kai groan and rub the back of his neck from the corner of her eye.

_They were so dead._

"...of spirits do you think you are doing!?"

"Dad...calm down...I...I…"

"Master Tenzin", Kai stepped forward only to be stopped by a large hand held up in front of his face.

"Do _not_ interrupt me when I am speaking with my _daughter_, Kai".

Kai could feel the boiling rage in Tenzin's voice as he pronounced his name. He looked at Jinora as if apologizing for the situation.

"Dad...we…"

"We _what_, Jinora?"

Neither of them said a word. Tenzin threw his head back and dragged his hands down his face in despair.

"Tenzin! What is going on over..."

Jinora let out a breath of relief as she saw Lin appear with hurried steps and a worried face. It had been several months since Lin had finally moved to Air Temple Island, permanently this time. Jinora, in particular, enjoyed her presence especially when she needed an ally against her father. And that's exactly what she would needed right now.

"Why are you screaming bloody murder?"

Lin paused on seeing the two kids standing meek and red-faced as a livid Tenzin fumed and glowered at them. She caught Jinora's pleading 'help me' gaze as the girl curled her lips inwards and looked at her feet. Lin smirked.

_This was going to be fun. Tricky. But so much fun._

She cleared her throat and stood beside Tenzin, hiding her grin.

* * *

She could hear the shuffling outside her office door, she also knew whose feet were doing the shuffling. She waited patiently, letting them make up their own mind. It had been over a year since Korra' return to the South Pole for rehabilitation and Pema's and Tenzin's separation had begun. And _these_ visits were becoming a commonplace event.

But this time was different. The kid's heart was fluttering with every passing second. Eventually, there was a knock.

"Come in."

The knob turned and Lin looked up as Jinora peeked in.

"Umm...Chief Beifong...uh…"

"Yes, Jinora…" Lin sat back and gave the child a calm smile.

"I'm sorry to disturb you...you must be busy...actually I think I should go…"

Jinora had begun to withdraw when Lin rolled her eyes and let out a laugh.

"You certainly are your father's daughter! Come inside and sit down."

Jinora let out a giggle took small steps towards Lin, closing the door behind her. Jinora looked around nervously but then dragged her gaze to face Lin and managed a smile. As she looked at Lin closely, she saw a gleam in her eyes that betrayed her joy at seeing Jinora. She had started dropping by the station more and more of late. At first, their interactions had been about the ongoing efforts to gather more airbenders.

Gradually, however, the meetings had turned into conversations over tea. Lin would just smile to herself and continue to nod every time the girl steered the conversation to more personal things. Over time, her respect for Jinora had grown into admiration and affection. As she eyed the girl sitting across her desk, nervous and almost embarrassed, Lin felt a wave of warmth come over her.

"Is everything alright, kid?"

Jinora sighed and slowly began.

"It's about...I...uh...there's this boy."

Lin suppressed a smirk. _Tenzin's going to be so pissed. _

"I would have spoken to mom, but she's at the eastern air temple for a few weeks."

Jinora peered at Lin from under her eyelashes, unsure of what she would say. To her surprise and relief, Lin pulled up a chair and sat beside her.

"Go ahead, tell me about this boy. Need me to do a background check? Rough him up a bit for ya?"

Jinora burst into laughter as she saw Lin raise an eyebrow and stare at her with a serious expression.

"No…! That won't be necessary."

"Is it Kai?"

"Umm...yeah...how did you…"

"Come on Jinora, I _am_ a detective."

"This is so embarrassing", Jinora covered her face and sank into her seat. "I never thought that _I_ would ever be this affected by a _boy._"

"Tell me about it...", Lin scoffed but immediately stopped. _What did that even mean?_ Lin rolled her eyes at herself. She caught Jinora looking at her, expectantly, and grunted.

"I meant...I've been there, kid. Can you imagine _me_ being all twisted up over a _guy_?"

Lin chuckled as she shook her head. Neither of them mentioned the name but they both knew who Lin was talking about. Lin leaned back in her chair crossing her arms across her chest. A pleasant smile spread across her face as her mind began to reminisce.

* * *

She could feel Tenzin's body heat rise as he stared at Kai and Jinora. By her red lips and Kai's flushed face, Lin knew what Tenzin had walked in on. She just hoped, for the sake of the children, that this hadn't been their first kiss. She knew all too well, how scarring _that _could be. She let out an involuntary chuckle. Tenzin turned at her in surprise.

"You're laughing?"

Lin swallowed her giggle, cursing herself.

"No, no...Tenzin I think _we_ should take this conversation somewhere else. Don't you think?"

"I guess you're rig…"

"Alright kids, be on your way now. Tenzin and I need to have a little chat in his study."

Lin gestured to them to keep walking as she took a bewildered Tenzin by his arm. She turned back to catch Jinora throwing her a grateful smile.

"What? Wait...no that's not what I...we need to talk to _them_...Lin...I'm not done with you two..."

"Calm down, Tenzin", Lin whispered as she pushed him into his study and closed the door behind them.

"Lin! You don't understand what happened. They were...they…"

"They were kissing?"

Tenzin froze in his spot, arms floating mid air, eyes wide open, mouth open even wider. Lin shook her head and walked over to him. She forced his arms down, and pushed his jaws shut.

"Tenzin...you there?"

Tenzin exhaled and collapsed on his armchair groaning and muttering.

"It's that boy..._Kai_...he is such a…"

"You do know that Jinora likes him, right?"

"Don't say that! Jinora is a smart girl and she is so much better than…"

Lin walked over to Tenzin and patted him as he leaned his head into her stomach wrapping his arms around her waist.

"She's not a kid anymore, airhead. She's almost 15."

"And he's 16", Tenzin groaned. Lin couldn't help but laugh at what Tenzin meant to imply.

"You know...they're older than we were when…"

Tenzin looked up at her in astonishment as she stood grinning. His mind completed her sentence and he smiled in resignation, pulling her down on his lap. He wrapped one arm around her waist and held her hand with the other. His mind began to reminisce and a blush spread across his face.

"For their sake at least, I hope this wasn't their _first_ kiss."

Lin laughed as his scowl returned.

* * *

"_Come on, airhead. Faster!"_

"_I'm trying Lin!"_

_She could hear Tenzin gasping for air behind her as she ran ahead, racing towards the water. She loved their family vacations to Ember Island. __She splashed into the water until she was waist deep in it. Tenzin finally caught up with her, huffing and puffing. She looked on in amusement as he clutched his sides and tried to control his wheezing. _

"_You do realize you could have just swooped ahead of me on an air scooter, right?"_

_Tenzin's panting stopped for a second as he processed this. He smacked his forehead and groaned and Lin burst into peals of laughter._

_He stood up straight and watched Lin's face light up with ridicule and joy and felt his stomach do a tumble. _

"_Yeah...of course I did. I just wanted to play fair." He gave her a smug look._

"_Tenzin! Linny! Be careful. Don't go too far out. Stay where I can see you."_

_They looked at Katara, who stood on the beach frantically waving her arms about to get their attention. _

"_We'll be fine! After all, we have the world's best waterbender watching over us, don't we!?" Lin yelled back in glee._

_Katara dropped her arms and shoulders in resignation and headed back to the other adults shaking her head with a chuckle. Aang and Toph looked at her knowingly. _

"_What did you think Lin was going to say to your warnings, sugar queen?" Toph laughed._

_Aang looked out to the two kids, as they splashed and played and talked and laughed. He sighed._

"_I can't believe it's their birthday already. One more year gone by. Just like that." _

"_Yup", Toph mumbled. "Thirteen and fourteen. Hard to believe sometimes. That our kids are teenagers."_

_As the adults gazed in their direction, Tenzin and Lin were completely oblivious to their audience. This was their favorite time of the year. Their birthday! _

"_Let's make a promise", Lin held her pinky out. _

"_Promise?"_

"_Yeah", she glared at him poking at his hand with her pinky._

_Tenzin lifted his pinky up and Lin caught it immediately in hers._

"_Repeat after me. I promise we will always celebrate our birthdays together on Ember Island."_

_Tenzin laughed._

"_Lin! Of course we will! Why would we ever NOT…?"_

"_Just make the promise airhead!" Lin glowered._

_Tenzin smiled at the determined girl in front of him, unable to imagine a world in which this promise would have been necessary. This was how it would always be. To him, it was as simple as that. _

_Lin looked at the airbender and softened her expression. Of course he wouldn't understand. His mother and father were still together. His family was still in one piece. His heart didn't know of separation and silent tears._

_They stood there in the lap of the warm waves, fingers intertwined, smiling at each other. Each had felt a spark when their fingers met. Neither had acknowledged the new sensation._

* * *

"Lin…?"

Jinora's gentle voice snapped her out of her reverie. She saw the girl, seated beside her, look at her expectantly. Lin let out a small laugh, mostly aimed at herself. She couldn't believe that was she was remembering this far away memory, let alone sharing it with Tenzin's daughter.

"Want to go for a walk, kid?"

Lin stood up, gesturing at the girl. If she was going to do this, she was going to do it right. And the police station was no place for such a conversation. They stepped out into the warm summer afternoon, led forward by a gentle humid breeze. As they walked towards the river trail, Lin felt Jinora's eyes on her the entire time.

"It was on my birthday, my thirteenth birthday. That was when I felt it for the first time. The knot in my stomach."

"Wow…" Jinora's voice trailed off in wonder.

"So...do you feel a knot too?" Lin glanced at the girl with a grin.

Jinora blushed and nodded.

"I felt the knot when I met him back in the Earth Kingdom for the first time. And it just keeps growing. I'm not even sure if he…"

"Oh, he does." Lin interrupted her with confidence. "Believe me."

Jinora's face lit up when she saw Lin smile and wink at her.

"So...what did you do...when you...you know, felt the knot?"

"It was a little different for me. I had known him my entire life. And until that day, I had never felt the 'knot'. It felt very strange. One moment, he was just Ten…"

Lin held her breath a second too late, muttering a curse at herself. She felt Jinora's hand touching her arm.

"It's alright. I know." She smiled and gave a light tug on Lin's arm to keep walking. Lin obliged.

"One moment, he was just a...friend; and the next, he was suddenly a boy who made my heart jump."

They walked a while in silence and then sat on a bench by the river.

"We would always go to Ember Island for our birthday", Lin tilted her head towards Jinora. "We share the same birthday."

Jinora looked at her in surprise. She had not known this about them.

"After the party had ended, everyone retired to their rooms for the night. At some point during the celebrations, one of the glances exchanged between us had made my heart flutter. It was the first time I had ever felt something like that. And I had no idea what the reason was."

"It's annoying."

"Yeah, it was." Lin chuckled.

"I couldn't sleep so I found my way back to the kitchen and began searching for some leftover cake. Before I could even take the first bite, I felt his footsteps behind me. He was holding a small box in his hand. It was a gift for me."

* * *

"_I came to your room but you weren't there."_

"_I can't seem to fall asleep." Lin mumbled stuffing her mouth with a slice of cake._

_Tenzin laughed and came closer._

"_Here. I got this for you."_

_Lin could feel the strange knot again __as she reached out to take the box__. It was starting to irritate her._

"_What's this, Tenzin?" She shook it trying to guess what it could have contained._

"_Come on", he led her to the balcony. The sight of the ocean bathed in moonlight and starlight, silently swaying in the distance, took her breath away._

"_Go on...open it." _

_In the moonlight, his smile seemed angelic. She flinched under his direct gaze for the first time. The knot grew tighter. She steadied herself as she opened the box, all the while reminding herself that this was Tenzin...Tenzin...her best friend. This was her 'airhead' airbender, she scoffed at herself._

_The box contained a necklace. She held it up and saw the pendant had a carving of the earth kingdom emblem with a small difference. At the center, there were three spirals - the emblem of the air nation._

_Lin eyed the carving for a few seconds in wonder, it was beautiful. Somehow the design was both strong and delicate. As her mind tried to understand how this was possible, Tenzin took the necklace from her hand._

"_See this", he pointed at the pendant and spoke softly. "This is you."_

_Lin's eyes moved from the carving to him as Tenzin continued looking at the pendant and explaining._

"_The earth symbol on the outside is strong and stubborn. Just like you of course", he chuckled. "But the air symbol inside is free and light. Also like you, well...at least...deep within you."_

_He looked up at her smiling as he spoke the soothing reassuring words. Lin still hadn't said a word. Tenzin paused and then hesitantly added one more thing._

"_It's also...us."_

_These words sucked Lin back to the balcony they stood on. As if coming out of a daze, she managed to mumble something._

"_It's...beautiful...thanks...I...this…"_

"_Do you want me to put it on?"_

_Tenzin looked at her eagerly. Lin could only manage a nod as she looked down and turned a little to the side. Tenzin wrapped the necklace around her neck and tied it at the back. Her heart skipped a beat when she felt the slight heaviness of the pendant as it lay back against her skin. Her heart skipped several beats when she felt Tenzin's finger graze her skin as he touched the pendant._

"_It looks even better on you than I had imagined, Lin!"_

"_Does it?"_

_Lin managed to whisper softly as she looked up to face him again. For reasons she could not fathom at the time, Lin felt the knot travel from her stomach to her throat. Words evaded her. All she knew was that she could not peel her eyes off of Tenzin. He seemed to be caught in a trance as well. Before either one of them knew what was happening, their lips had come closer and everything else had become a blur._

"_Tenzin! Lin! Is that you two out there?"_

_They snapped back with a sudden rush of fear and confusion. It was Toph, standing at her bedroom window on one side of the balcony. They both sighed with some relief but immediately tensed up and turned away from each other as they realized what had just happened._

"_What's going on?" _

_They gasped as another figure emerged from a window on the other side of the balcony. It was Katara._

"_Oh, nothing sweetness. I thought that burglars were sneaking in but it's just the kids out on the balcony."_

"_At this time? Get inside, kids. It's cold out here!" Katara leaned out and motioned at them to go inside. Next to her, Aang's head popped out. He was visibly still half asleep._

_Tenzin and Lin remained mute, unsure of what to say. Almost in sync, they took a step forward to go back into the house when Toph's words shattered their last remaining shred of relief._

"_Oh, I don't think they gotta worry about feeling cold, sugar queen. They were keeping each other pretty warm if you ask me."_

_Tenzin stumbled on his own foot and Lin froze to the spot, mortified._

"_What?" Aang was now fully awake. "What do you mean?!"_

"_Oh, come on twinkletoes! Looks like we have to restart your seismic sense training. They were kissing. I coulda felt their crazy heartbeats from a mile away!"_

_Lin choked on her own breath and Tenzin finally turned to look at her. A hundred different feelings sped through their veins, sparked by their first eye contact since the...kiss. She could feel a blush spread across her cheek as his face looked flushed. He saw the exhilarating look in her eyes as his widened in disbelief. Their hands found their way to each other and the voices around them were lost in the ocean breeze. _

"_Kissing!?" Katara exclaimed at Toph, confused by how casually she had proclaimed this. _

"_It's not funny, Toph!" Aang responded warily as his eyes darted between Katara and Toph._

"_I'm telling you two", Toph declared haughtily._

"_I'm sure if we just ask the kids…" Katara paused mid-sentence as she looked back down to the balcony. _

"_They're gone, aren't they?" Toph stated smugly._

"_Yep", Aang replied._

* * *

Lin waited for Jinora to recover from her fit of laughter. She rolled her eyes, mostly at herself though. She could not believe she had just shared the story of her first kiss with Jinora, of all the people. _Tenzin would not be happy about this._ She smirked.

"I wish I could have seen their faces!" Jinora sputtered in between giggles. "I can surely imagine Grandma's expression. She must have been scandalized." Another ripple of laughter erupted from the girl. Lin joined in the laughter this time.

"Oh boy, were we in for it the next day."

"Where did you guys run off to from the balcony?" Jinora composed herself once more.

Lin raised an eyebrow in her direction.

"That's enough from me. Now it's _your_ turn."

"Me?"

"Yes...go on...tell me more about this 'knot' of yours."

Jinora's face reddened and she began mumbling.

"No...no...we didn't...I haven't kissed…"

Lin chuckled and patted the girl on her shoulder.

"Relax, kid."

"I did kiss him on his cheek...when we rescued him and the other airbenders from the earth queen…"

Lin could see the color on Jinora's face deepening. She began to realize why the child had come to her. She had come to know Jinora better and better over the last several months. She wasn't surprised that amidst everything that was going on, the conflicts both within her family and outside, Jinora had stepped up to every challenge. As the eldest child and the youngest Master.

But with Lin, Jinora didn't have to be any of those roles. She didn't owe Lin anything. She observed the girl as all her responsibilities melted away leaving behind a young teenager on the bench beside her. Jinora didn't need any advice. She just wanted to talk.

And Lin let her. They sat there for another hour as Jinora spoke about her growing friendship with Kai, her increasing attachment, how it concerned her, how it thrilled her, how she was scared of what Tenzin would think, how it had been difficult because they both traveled so much for the air nation's mission, and on and on.

"Why is it so overwhelming?" Jinora sighed at the end. "How can something be so calming and thrilling and confusing and scary all at the same time?"

"What can I say, kid. Love is funny like that."

Jinora sighed and they finally got up and headed back to the station.

"Thanks...Aunt Lin."

* * *

Tenzin was still scowling as Lin sat on his lap.

"What do you mean...oh spirits! For _my_ sake, I hope this _was_ their first kiss. And last."

Lin laughed uncontrollably. Tenzin sighed in resignation and looked at her. He saw the amusement and twinkle in her eye. Her special bond with Jinora had not escaped his notice. He was silently thankful for it. There were times where he had been tempted to ask Lin about the things Jinora shared with her and not him. But he knew better than to interrogate the Chief of Police. He couldn't help but let a smile escape his lips as he remembered that night on the balcony.

"Do you still have the necklace?"

He asked gently grazing her skin where the pendant had once lain. Lin grew silent and Tenzin was almost beginning to regret his question when he heard her reply softly.

"Yes."

* * *

_They stood waist deep in the water, still holding hands. _

_They hadn't let go as they escaped from the balcony right under their bickering parents. _

_They hadn't let go as they ran onto the beach under the moonlight. _

_They hadn't let go when they splashed into the ocean. _

_They hadn't let go when they stopped in waist deep water. _

_They hadn't let go when they slowly turned to face each other. _

_They hadn't let go when their lips had found their way back to each other._

* * *

The next morning, Jinora waited outside her father's study as Lin had asked her to do. After a few minutes, Lin opened the door and called her inside. Jinora noticed her necklace from the corner of her eye as she walked towards Tenzin. One glance at his face, though, was enough to falter her steps.

"Dad...I...I'm…"

"I'm sorry, Jinora."

Jinora looked up confused. Her eyes darted between her father and Lin and back.

"I shouldn't have overreacted the way I did. I treated you like..."

"I'm sorry too, dad. I...I should have told you sooner."

They both smiled in relief. She felt Lin's hand on her shoulder.

"Alright, now that _that's_ settled, how about we go have breakfast."

As they walked out, Lin nudged Jinora and whispered.

"And don't tell Kai about this little reconciliation. Let's have our own fun with him, shall we?"

Lin smiled and winked. Jinora smiled back as she saw the necklace more clearly. Her heart jumped when she saw the pendant - the earth and air symbols in complete harmony.

"Thanks...Aunt Lin."


	3. Interrupted

Interrupted

by jalpari

* * *

This is an ongoing series of one shots about linzin's life after the end of LoK. Tenzin and Lin are finally in a good place.

Tenzin thought life would be peachy when Lin moved back to the island. Little did he know, privacy was harder to find on a tiny island filled with his children, new airbenders and air acolytes.

* * *

A/N:

Due to guidelines, I am censoring this piece. Here is the link to my ao3 for those of you who want to read the entire lemon! My ao3 username is also 'jalpari'.

www dot archiveofourown dot org/works/18122972

Advance warning, this is a really long one shot! After receiving feedback that my fluff was soft, I decided to attempt a smut piece. Took me a while to get over the hesitation and post this. Definitely went out of my comfort zone with this one. Any feedback, comments, praise, suggestions are welcome!

* * *

"Good morning", Tenzin leaned over and kissed Lin's neck.

She stirred gently and her blanket slid off as she rolled onto her side facing the other way. Her body continued to rise and fall with every breath, steady and peaceful. Tenzin's fingers trailed down her shoulder to her arm. Her skin was soft and shone in the morning light. He let his fingers drop from her elbow to her waist and his palms flattened against her curve, pressing into her skin lightly.

"And what exactly do you think you are doing?" Lin's soft but sharp voice broke his concentration.

"When did you wake up?" Tenzin leaned closer moving his hand to her stomach as he pressed his chest against her back.

"Right about the time you decided to grope me", Lin's eyes were still closed but a small smile spread across her lips.

Tenzin turned her over to face him and slid his hand under her top. He kissed her eyelids and his lips meandered their way to hers. His hands moved up her tender skin and caressed her breasts. He gently massaged her, eliciting a faint moan from her wet lips as his kiss deepened. He felt the goosebumps on her skin as his hand rolled down her breast into the folds of her cleavage, squeezing the curve of her bosom. He could feel himself harden and he pushed his body against her feeling her body stiffen and relax with every stroke of his hand.

"And a good morning to you too", Lin pulled back grinning.

"A very good morning, indeed", he kissed her neck, her pulse increasing under his tongue, until he was sucking on it harder.

Lin tilted her head to give him better access and inhaled sharply. Her hands slid down...

_{ This section is explicit and the content is unsuitable for . T__he entire lemon can be found on ao3 in the link in the author's note above }_

...He could hear her flustered breaths as she sighed his name repeatedly. Her body trembled beneath him and her hands began tugging at his vest. Tenzin sat up and started removing it when they heard a faint call in the distance.

"_Dad! Dad!"_

Lin's eyes opened wide, suddenly completely awake. She snapped out of her aroused state and looked at Tenzin. He had stilled as well and met her gaze.

"_Dad! Are you awake?"_

The voice was still faint but unmistakably Ikki's. Tenzin scowled and fell forward on to Lin's chest.

"Spirits!" he sighed.

"Get up, airhead", Lin couldn't help but laugh a little at his frustration, "before she comes bursting through that door."

Tenzin planted several kisses on her breasts and collarbone and neck as his arms reached out for her top that lay crumpled beside her pillow. It took everything he had to fight the urge to keep going. He wanted to take her then and there, devour her, be inside her. Lin sat up, still smirking, and put her top back on. Tenzin threw his head back on his pillow as he ran his hand down his face.

"Why is she up so early...", he grumbled.

"Straighten your pyjamas", Lin poked his sides. "I can see your...excitement."

Tenzin sat up and ran his hands down, adjusting the crinkles in his pants. Just then, they heard light footsteps racing down the corridor.

"Daddy!"

Within seconds, Ikki dashed into the room and jumped on to an airball spinning around the room in a frenzy.

"Daddy! You won't believe what just happened! Guess! You won't be able to. I'm so excited. I was just outside and we were…"

"Ikki! Would you please stop bouncing around. My head is starting to get dizzy."

Ikki jumped off the airball and onto the bed, landing right beside Tenzin. She yanked at him to get his attention as he rubbed his eyes. Lin got off the bed and stretched. All she wanted was to quietly escape to the bathroom, and avoid the whole conversation about to unfold.

"Aunt Lin! Guess what? Guess what?"

Lin grunted and turned to face them.

"Yes, Ikki?"

The girl was bubbling with joy as her eyes darted back and forth between the two adults.

"We were going for our morning meditation when suddenly Meelo let out this really loud fart and he shot straight up into the air for almost 50 feet. It's his new personal best, daddy!"

Lin and Tenzin looked at each other with a deadpan expression on their face and pursed their lips. Tenzin clenched his jaw and took a deep breath. Lin dropped her shoulders and threw her head back with a groan as she turned back to go freshen up.

* * *

Lin eyed Tenzin as he trained. He was wearing loose pants and nothing else. Their early morning tryst had been interrupted and then he disappeared after breakfast. Now, she found him training in one of the secluded decks on the island, beyond the groves. Alone.

Lin smirked. She knew just the thing to do, to help pick up where they left off earlier. Stealthy as a panther-sphinx, she made her way to the deck; dodging, hiding, lurking. As she eyed the unsuspecting airbender, she waited hidden from his view until his back was turned to her. And when that moment came, she swung herself on a vine and leapt through an archway landing firmly on the deck. She rolled and came up behind him just as he spun around startled at the intrusion.

He instinctively stretched his hands in front of him to unleash a gust of wind on his supposed attacker, but Lin was quicker. She caught him and spun around swinging him to the ground by his arms.

"Lin!" Tenzin exclaimed as he fell. "What are you…"

Lin mounted him placing her knees on either side and leaned forward pinning his hands down.

"What do you think I'm doing?" Lin smirked inching closer to his confused face.

A knowing smile stretched out on his lips slowly as his mind caught up. His face was dripping with thrill and want. He yanked his arms free and grabbed her hips, pushing her to the ground and climbed on top of her. Before Lin could react, he pressed his lips hard against hers. One hand slipped behind her head, clutching at her hair, the other dug into her side. Her heart raced as he nearly ripped her pants off with impatient hands, before dropping his own.

"I did intend on getting a good workout", Tenzin growled seeing the astonished anticipation in her eyes. He spread her legs apart and...

_{ This section is explicit and the content is unsuitable for . T__he entire lemon can be found on ao3 in the link in the author's note above }_

...Just as Tenzin began granting her wish, they heard giggles in the distance.

"Fuck." Lin hissed. "What the fuck is that?"

Tenzin scrambled off her and pulled his pant back up. Lin hurriedly found her own pants and yanked them on. They stood up brushing themselves off and straightening their clothes. The faint giggles turned into louder chatter and laughs. Before long, a group of acolytes appeared from around the corner of the grove of trees. They seemed to be walking towards the deck.

Tenzin and Lin were still catching their breath when one of the female acolytes startled at their sight.

"Oh! Master Tenzin...I...we didn't know you were here…", she stuttered.

Lin noticed the acolyte eyeing her. Her gaze seemed to linger around her face, slightly above it. On reflex, Lin touched her hair and realized that it was a tangled mess. She tried to pat it down casually while clearing her throat.

"That's...not a problem...it's perfectly alright", Tenzin tried to regain his composure and sound as 'masterly' as he could. "I was just...training."

He walked over briskly to his robe that was flung over the side of the deck. The group remained hushed and appeared more flustered than the interrupted lovers. Lin found her own voice soon and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"There's a reason he comes _here _to train", she gave an icy stare to the girl who had been eyeing her and then reprimanded the rest of the group with a stern gaze. "So that he isn't disturbed constantly."

"We are so sorry...we didn't mean to", another acolyte apologized profusely while bowing repeatedly.

Tenzin suppressed a grin as he walked towards them.

"That's quite alright, the _moment..._has passed." He turned to Lin and offered her his arm. "Shall we?"

Lin took his arm and shot them another forbidding look as she walked away.

"So much for round two", he chuckled quietly.

"To hell with round two", Lin grunted. "We didn't even get to the end of round _one_!"

* * *

"Alright, that's enough for today", Tenzin announced to his last class of the day. "I urge you to meditate on this lesson over the next few days. Let the meaning sink in."

As the students filed out of the room, Tenzin frowned at the sight of Kai and Jinora walking together.

_Do they have to always sit together!_

He sighed and arched his back and twisted from side to side. He had been sitting for several hours with the advanced class. He massaged his neck while stretching it in all directions.

"Need some help with that?" Lin stood smiling, leaning against the door frame.

"Yes, please. The class went longer than I expected." Tenzin sighed.

Lin smiled and closed the door behind her. It was the hour before the sun would finally set, and the entire room was bathed in the golden sunlight. It had been a long day for her as well. The station had been the center of a chaotic maelstrom. They had caught a gang that had been terrorizing the local community at the edge of the city. A lucky tip had enabled them to expose the entire operation and she and her team infiltrated their hideout in a surprise attack. They had managed to round up each and every member of the gang.

The station buzzed with feverish activity as they apprehended, interrogated, and booked each criminal. They were young, rowdy, and difficult to control. Everywhere she looked there was someone yelling curses, another one struggling to get out of a cop's hold, yet another one spitting on a wall. It had definitely been a _long _day.

"I know", she retorted. She had just spent the last thirty minutes soaking in a tub, cursing Tenzin for still being in class.

She walked over to the worn out man sitting on the raised platform and stood in front of him. Her hands reached for his neck and massaged them gently. She had done this more times than she could count and knew exactly which spots to hit. As she pressed into the knots from his neck to his shoulder, she felt him relax and groan with relief.

"A little lower please", Tenzin exhaled, his eyes closed.

Lin leaned in and moved her fingers in circles pressing into his upper back. She made her way to his spine and compressed the muscles around it. He could smell her lavender scent. Tenzin's groans became longer and louder with every pressure point she thumbed.

"If you get any louder, people are going to get the wrong idea, _Master _Tenzin", Lin chuckled.

Tenzin opened his eyes and eyed her appearance. Her hair was still wet from her bath, and she wore a loose long skirt and a simple vest top. She looked fresh and delicious.

"Well, if they're going to get the wrong idea anyway, maybe we should just…", he held her by the waist, drew her closer, and bit her under her breast.

"I thought you were exhausted", Lin teased.

"Then maybe _you_ should do most of the work", he pulled her hard enough for her to lose her balance and fall onto him as he laid back on the floor.

"Are you sure you're up for it", she whispered as she bent over him.

She climbed on, her knees on either side of him, her lips hovering over his.

"Try me", Tenzin whispered back, trying to arch closer to her lips.

Lin pulled back, dangling her lips just out of his reach. Her hands slowly undid his robes and pushed them back on the ground. She ignored his lips and left a trail of kisses along his chest, sprinkling them with nibbles and licks. Tenzin let out a deep sigh and slumped back.

She began untying his pants and pulled everything off. She knelt between his legs...

_{ This section is explicit and the content is unsuitable for . T__he entire lemon can be found on ao3 in the link in the author's note above }_

...Tenzin clutched her hips and pulled her down impatiently. He had been waiting for this release since this morning. Each time he had been driven close enough to taste it, smell it, feel it; only for it to be snatched away from right under him. Literally.

"_I don't know where it went. I had it during class, last I remember. Maybe it's still there_", Jinora's worried voice approached the classroom.

Both Lin and Tenzin froze.

"I swear to the Spirits, Tenzin", Lin gritted her teeth, "I will bind your children in metal and drop them off the cliff sides of this very island!

"Shhh...the door is locked. Maybe she'll just give up and leave", Tenzin put his hand on her lips.

"_Don't worry, Jin. We'll find it_", Kai's voice joined hers.

"Fuck", Tenzin muttered.

Lin looked at him, amused. Tenzin barely ever swore. She stood up indignantly and threw his pants at his face. Tenzin sat up sluggishly, visibly annoyed as well.

"Hey, why is the door locked?" Jinora whined as she fiddled with the latch.

"Maybe we can air bend it open", Kai replied.

"When you throw my kids off the cliff, throw Kai too", Tenzin grumbled prompting Lin to snort.

"Now, get yourself together", Lin ordered and with a flick of her finger unlocked the door.

Jinora and Kai were attempting to force the door open with their shoulders and fell in as soon as Lin had unlatched it from the inside. They tumbled in to find Tenzin sitting in his seat in the same position as when they were in class. And Lin stood in front of him, arms crossed in front of her, with a half hearted smile.

"Oh, dad…", Jinora blurted, not expecting to find him still there.

Although everything seemed to be in place, something in the room felt...off.

"Yes, Jinora?" Tenzin exhaled, his face clearly exasperated.

"Yeah...I can't...find my book."

Jinora's words trailed off as she looked at them closely. She couldn't put a finger on it, but she suddenly felt like she was intruding on something. Her eyes lingered on Lin but the woman's face didn't give away anything.

Lin caught the girl's suspicious gaze and resisted turning away. She imagined what would have happened if they hadn't heard the kids coming around, and if she hadn't locked the door behind her. The mere thought threw her into sudden laughter, much to everyone's confusion.

"Aunt Lin? What is...are you okay?"

Lin was choking on her own laughter at this point. Their present situation, the previous ones, and the whole day began to seem ridiculous to her. She shook her head and managed to get a few words out.

"Oh no...it's nothing...I was thinking of...uhh...this joke someone told me...earlier."

"What was the joke?" Kai asked enthusiastically.

"Oh...actually, I won't be able to tell it properly because…", she threw Tenzin a mischievous look, "...because...he didn't get a chance to..._finish_."

Tenzin flustered immediately and coughed in surprise turning a bright red. Jinora's eyes moved from Lin to Tenzin to Lin again. Her eyes widened as it began to dawn on her.

_Were they...did we...what the...spirits...no...this can't be...no way...please let it NOT be true._

Lin noticed the changing expression on Jinora's face and knew that the girl was slowly making her way to the right conclusion. She curled her lips inward barely suppressing a smug smile and looked down.

"Uhh...I th..think we'll g-g-go…", Jinora stuttered as she backed out.

"But Jin, we haven't even looked for your book."

"Oh, I did...umm...I don't see it here. Let's go!"

With that Jinora turned around hastily and grabbed Kai's hand pulling him behind her. There was a few seconds of silence as they listened to the kid's footsteps fading away. Then everything went quiet. After some more time, Tenzin looked at Lin.

"Well, that was close." He breathed a sigh of relief.

Lin looked at Tenzin.

"You do realize that she figured it out, right?"

"Fuck."

* * *

"There you are. I've been looking everywhere for you", Tenzin entered the guest room where Lin was leaning against the window, gazing out at the night sky.

"You disappeared after dinner." He wrapped his arms around her from behind and kissed her neck.

Lin smiled and turned her face to him and planted a lazy kiss on his cheek.

"I was exhausted", Lin sighed. "Meelo can really tire people out". She rolled her eyes with a chuckle.

"I'm sorry", Tenzin spoke in a somber tone. "I know it must get overwhelming for you."

Lin turned her body around and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I was just kidding, airhead. You know I love those kids. Even though they _sometimes _make me want to throw them off the cliff."

They laughed softly, resting their foreheads together.

"Ah...yes. Who knew air temple island was so crowded."

"I know right", Lin leaned back against the window shaking her head.

Tenzin's eyes roamed over her face, the windows, and then across the rest of the room.

"Lin", his voice grew excited, "do you realize where we are?"

"Huh?"

"This room...do you remember?"

"What are you talking about? I just came here because it's the farthest one from those chattering monkeys of yours."

"Yep", Tenzin nodded. "Which was exactly why we came here...back then...and…".

Lin's eyes widened as she suddenly remembered.

"Oh my…"

"Yes", Tenzin chuckled seeing the recognition in her eyes.

"Your parents were at that peace summit in Ba Sing Se…"

"And you didn't want Aunt Toph to catch us with her seismic sense…"

"So we decided to come here and…"

"And make love for the first time." Tenzin leaned forward and kissed her ear, whispering.

"Wow...that feels like such a long time ago. Almost another lifetime." Lin blushed and rested her head on his chest.

"I remember it like it was yesterday."

"You do?"

"Of course. I remember you in that green dress with the tiny white dots on it." He tucked a few loose strands of hair behind her ear.

"I remember how you smelled of rain because it was drizzling outside when we got here after our dinner date at that fancy place." He kissed her nose.

"I remember how scared I felt when we looked at each other, naked, for the first time." He kissed her lips.

"I remember the electricity that shot through me when I felt myself inside you and you all around me." He pressed their bodies tighter together.

"I remember how quickly it went by", Lin added with a giggle.

Tenzin growled softly in her ears and pinched her side.

"But I also remember how much better it felt the second time", she continued, "and every time after that."

"Mmm...yeah...better...every time...so many times", Tenzin's hands were roaming over her entire body by this point.

He nuzzled her neck and kissed her skin. Involuntarily, Lin wrapped one leg around him pulling him closer. Tenzin's hand slid down her thigh and dragged her skirt up. Her skin felt cool beneath his warm hands, making them tingle. He picked her other leg up and wrapped them around him. In the next moment, his hands were under her hips and Lin found herself being carried to the bed.

Tenzin walked to the bed, his lips never breaking contact with hers. He bent forward and laid her down as he climbed on top of her. His kisses were tender and soft at first, his hands caressed her face and brushed through her hair. Lin hugged him tighter as memories of their first time in the same room flashed through her mind.

* * *

"_Is that a new dress?" Tenzin asked nervously, trying his best to steady his voice._

"_Uh...yeah...I just bought it", Lin replied just as nervously as her fingers fiddled with the hem of her green dress with the white polka dots._

_Tenzin realized that she was just as jittery as he was. The realization made him relax just a smidge and he smiled at her. They were walking around the island after their dinner date, hand in hand, under the stars. They felt a palpable tension that night as their lips pressed together. Every touch seemed to hint at something more. For the first time, it felt like their bodies wanted more and they found themselves giving in to the new sensations._

_The sudden drizzle forced them to rush inside. They wandered down a quiet corridor, talking about random things. Neither acknowledged the simmering tension that made them walk to the far end of the house, instead of his room like always, to avoid Bumi and Kya. When they came across the empty guest room at the end of the corridor, Lin walked in leading Tenzin in by the hand._

_Now, as she stood leaning against the window, she wasn't sure why she had done that. Tenzin, too, had seemed diffident as he stood against the almirah. But now he was smiling at her and Lin felt her body ease up. He walked over to her and cupped her cheeks._

"_It looks beautiful on you", he leaned in and kissed her gently._

"_Thanks", Lin couldn't help the blush that warmed her cheeks._

_Tenzin tucked her hair behind her ear and traced her jawline with his thumb, down to her neck. Her skin was still damp and she smelled like rain. _

"_I love you so much", he whispered._

_Lin's heart stopped. There was something different in the way he said those words that night. There was affection and love, but there was also a gravitas and a surety that pushed out all her agitated thoughts and pulled her in. Her lips found his again and pressed against him, seeking his warm embrace._

_As the kiss deepened, their bodies entangled in each others and their legs led them to the bed. Lost in each other's lips, Tenzin didn't realize when he had reached it and tripped over the edge of the bed, dragging Lin down with him. She bumped her forehead against his nose and both yelped in pain. _

"_Ow!" Tenzin clutched his nose._

"_Fuck!" Lin straightened herself rubbing her forehead. "Oh no! Tenzin, are you okay? Are you bleeding?" She bent over him trying to see his nose._

"_No, no! I'm fine, really, it's nothing", he moved his hand away slowly and much to her relief, there was no blood._

_Their eyes met and they sat in silence for a few seconds, as they realized where their kiss had been heading. Seeing the other rub the spot that was hurt during the fall, though, they burst into giggles. Lin leaned forward and kissed his nose and they slid back on the bed as she rested her head against his chest. Tenzin wrapped his arms around her and kissed her head._

"_So", Tenzin started hesitantly but his voice trailed off._

"_So", Lin propped herself on her elbow and looked at Tenzin. _

"_Do you...are we…"_

"_Spit it out, airhead", Lin rolled her eyes._

_Tenzin placed his hand behind her neck and pulled her closer. His lips pressed against hers with new found intensity. She adjusted her body to face him as his arms wrapped around her and lifted her on top of him. After several minutes, she pulled back to catch her breath. His hands roamed over her entire body, groping her, squeezing her, exploring her, wanting her._

_She sat up, her knees on his sides, and stared at him. His eyes were ablaze with desire and his lips were parted, waiting for her to return to them. Tenzin's hands massaged her thighs. With each stroke, he lifted her dress a little higher. Lin smirked as his hands slipped under her dress and massaged her curves from her hips to her behind._

_She raised an eyebrow at him only to receive a smug smile in return and a hard grope. The tingling sensation shot an urgency through her body. Before she knew what she was doing, she was lifting the dress higher, slowly dragging it up her body and over her head. She threw it aside and returned her gaze to Tenzin whose hands had frozen and eyes had widened._

_She giggled nervously, feeling a tinge of shyness, as his eyes roved her body from top to bottom. He took the sight in, his breath speeding with every second..._

{ This section is explicit and the content is unsuitable for . The entire lemon can be found on ao3 in the link in the author's note above }

..."_Tenzin!" Lin nearly screamed. _

_They both suddenly convulsed and their bodies went into spasms of delight as their insides were set on fire. As their energies drained out, Tenzin let himself slouch over her, unable to hold himself up any longer. He could hear her heart thundering in her chest. She could feel his sweat mixing with hers. Eventually he rolled to his side and caught his breath, Lin turned on her side and faced him._

"_Now that went better", Tenzin grinned._

"_Uhuh...", Lin exclaimed still panting, "I'd say so."_

* * *

Their clothes had come off and Lin straddled him while his hands grabbed any part of her body they could reach. After three failed attempts, this was going to happen. She lowered herself gently on him...

_{ This section is explicit and the content is unsuitable for . T__he entire lemon can be found on ao3 in the link in the author's note above }_

...When the final thrust sent them free falling into the depths of pleasure, there was sudden rumble in the earth beneath them and a gust of wind thrashing the curtains about.

Tenzin fell forward and rested his head on her chest and Lin dropped her legs and arms back down, their bodies going limp.

"Finally", Tenzin groaned, his lips sliding against her sweaty skin, tasting the salty dampness as he pushed back the strands of her hair that clung to her face and neck.

"Finally." Lin laughed.


End file.
